Corey's Gate is closed!

[BlackSpruce]

DEC (Kevin Burns) closed the gate at the Raquette Falls trailhead yesterday. March 2, about noon. He is anticipating the snow turning to slush as the temperate warms up.

 

[1ADAM12]

Thanks Christine. This may change the plans for some

 

[DreamFarmer]

Hi Christine ,

I was wondering if you think it will stay closed for the remainder of the winter hiking season.

I'd like to take a shot at Seward and Seymour.

 

[teleskier]

Wow... well, it was a great run while it lasted. Thanks, Christine, for those updates along the way. Still hope to get Seymour, maybe on the 13th. Maybe I'll break out the skis for the (longer) approach!

 

[Rik]

Hi Christine ,

I was wondering if you think it will stay closed for the remainder of the winter hiking season.

I'd like to take a shot at Seward and Seymour.

It will likely stay closed until May.

 

[BlackSpruce]

Yes it's closed till about May 15. A friend climbed Seymour last Saturday and it was tough (deep snow) and snowing all day and nobody that day was going to any of the other 3, so you can assume that trail to Seward needs to be broken for a few miles!

 

[mirabela]

Anyone who wants to give Seymour a shot on the 20th (I know, a long way off and who knows what conditions will bring, but even so), I'd be game. I don't mind a long ski in.

Matt

 

[JoeCedar]

Please note that the mountains are still open, only the gate is closed.

Believe me,

It is a delightful one hour walk on the road from the snowplow turnaround to the summer trailhead (a mile less if you can get to the Raquette Falls PA).

Driving to the Raquette Falls PA has its risks as I found out last spring. In the short distance from the bridge to the PA there is a very wet area once the spring thaw begins. Beware!

 

[Neil]

Please note that the mountains are still open.

Now there's an instant classic if I ever saw one.

 

[BlackSpruce]

For my first two Ws I walked the road from the winter trailhead 6 times and even broke trail (with help from friends or husband Alex) to the summits, so if old woman like me can anybody can. Still doesn't mean I walked the road again for the next rounds... or will walk the darn thing ever again... maybe in next life and even then not sure...

 

[DreamFarmer]

4/22/06-gate was closed--we lugged our camping supplies in to Bluberry L/T for 2 nights-only got Seymour (thought I was climbing Seward until I saw the sign).
Everything was wet and heavier on the way out. It was a long 6 + miles coming out...in the rain. This time, I'll try the tobaggan (if I go).

 

[BlackSpruce]

A few years ago for one of our friend W finish we walked the road and climbed Seymour on a truly perfect March day, on the way out the snow had gottten a bit warm but we we had with us what it takes and it works wonder:

WD40


I have been told that Palm Oil works well as well!

 

[Neil]

For my first two Ws I walked the road from the winter trailhead 6 times and even broke trail (with help from friends or husband Alex) to the summits, so if old woman like me can anybody can. Still doesn't mean I walked the road again for the next rounds... or will walk the darn thing ever again... maybe in next life and even then not sure...

You've definitely payed you "dues". 6 times! (of course you mean 3x RT, right? )

I've paid some dues too but I still hate walking that road and what's funny is I'm sure I'll walk it again. (Much better to ski it-such a relief when you switch back to skis at the end of the day!)

I've heard the best way to walk the road is with Snickers. The walk is over before you know it!

 

[BlackSpruce]

“You've definitely payed you "dues". 6 times! (of course you mean 3x RT, right? )”

Neil, to make matter worse those 6 visits were within the same winter of 2003-2004! First it took Alex and I four trips over as many weeks to reach all four of the Sewards, each one in frigid temperature. Then I went back twice for one of our friend 43, 44, 45 and 46 W which were climbed in only two visits. Thanks to Tom Haskins our trek to Seward, Donaldson and Emmons was one of a kind as not only weather and sky were perfect but Tom had the day before broken the ridge route over the ledges to Seward. What we did each time that helped us a lot is use a sled to pull our packs, that way it never took us more than 40 minutes to walk the road as it kept one busy while the other travellled light.

After that I skipped climbing in the Sewards for two winters and then discovered that when one can drive to the summer trailhead the trail conditions are much better in winter than in the summer and the summits not very far...

Mind you I will NEVER walk that road again.